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Nicola Sturgeon has written a letter requesting a second Scottish independence referendum

MSPs voted in favour of seeking permission for the referendum to take place.
MSPs voted in favour of seeking permission for the referendum to take place. MSPs voted in favour of seeking permission for the referendum to take place.

Nicola Sturgeon has written a letter to Theresa May formally requesting a second Scottish independence referendum.

The Scottish Government tweeted a picture of the First Minister with her feet up on a couch in her Bute House residence writing the Section 30 letter on Thursday evening.

This week, MSPs voted by 69 to 59 in favour of seeking permission for an independence referendum to take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.Sturgeon said her mandate for another vote is now “beyond question”, and warned it would be “democratically indefensible and utterly unsustainable” to attempt to stand in the way.

Nicola Sturgeon.
Nicola Sturgeon.
(Scottish Government)

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the UK Government would decline the request.Sturgeon is pressing ahead with a formal approach for a section 30 order – the mechanism for the powers to hold a referendum.It is expected to be sent to Downing Street on Friday.